North Korea hopes plans to attract foreign tourists

Photo ITAR-TASS/ Kavashkin Boris

PYONYANG, August 28 (Itar-Tass) - The government of North Korea will take practical steps for attracting foreign tourists to North Korea; in particular, the government is planning reconstruction of large hotels in Pyongyang and bringing these hotels to the best world service standards, Director of the North Korean International Tourism Agency Cho Seong-kyu told journalists on Wednesday.

Both foreign tourists and tourists from North Korea will be offered an opportunity to travel to the city of Wonsan on the North Korean eastern coast and to highland areas of Pektusan and Chilbo by air. An air service will be opened soon to connect Pyongyang with Shanghai in China, Cho Seong-kyu said. There are plans to build duty-free shops, fitness and service centers for tourists, he added.

North Korean authorities will welcome foreign entrepreneurs who will take part in the development of health resort zones, including the construction of shops, hotels and other tourist facilities, Cho Seong-kyu said. Foreign experts in tourist business are expected to arrive in North Korea soon, he said.